A Conservatorship for Life
Image Credit: Joshua Fuller
Considering the recent Britney Spears documentary, it has many discussing Mental Health like never before. Why you ask? Because of something we have heard on the news plenty of times but most of us don’t understand, and that’s what a Conservatorship actually is. Is this a legal method of Kidnapping?
In short, Yes and no. This is a very gray area, especially when it comes to matters of Mental Health.
It’s not kidnapping per say because it’s usually a temporary method of helping someone to care for another adult who can’t care of themselves or their finances. And there is many types of Conservatorships out there. They have both temporary and long-term versions in case someone has an illness like Dementia.
This must be court approved.
Someone can’t just become a Conservatee because they want to control someone else. That being said, I mentioned the word YES when it comes to legal methods of kidnapping. That’s because, lets face it, if someone has money. Vultures exist and they will do a lot to get it. That includes making someone seem crazy when they are not.
So, what does that have to do with Mental Health?
Image Credit: Tingey Injury Law Firm
A LOT! Especially in cases like Britney Spears. She was never formally diagnosed with any mental conditions, but it has been said she is Bipolar. Therefore, having a Conservatorship with a mental illness that has been known to be able to treat and having a conservatorship that she has not been able to get out of can put many others out there with mental health issues at risk. Because that's saying that whether or not someone is treatable, they may still be at risk of having to prove in court that they are capable of caring for themselves, if they have Toxic Vultures in their lives.
Basically what I'm saying is...It tells the bad people out there, that you can go after someone and declare they are crazy even without a formal diagnosis, but at least a mental breakdown and take away their rights.
I must be clear and state that sometimes this is needed. Sometimes the help someone needs must go to this level and often family will intervene and help.
Making this entire ordeal with Britney Spears something to watch, something to pay attention to until decisions are made. Because a line should be drawn as to when someone needs something like this and when they can take care of themselves. Along with When a person is showing signs of no longer needing a conservatorship... how can they prove it when they don’t have access to the very methods of proving it.
It’s a double edge sword. And Britney Spears has been standing on this sword for 12 years.
